Kansas State Drops Fourth Straight In Wednesday Loss To UCF
Kansas State extended its losing streak to four with its Wednesday night loss to UCF.
Here are the takeaways:
1. Dug McDaniel and David N’Guessan couldn’t produce.
With star forward Coleman Hawkins out, the Wildcats had to lean on their co-stars to be aggressive and generate the offense necessary to reciprocate the Knights’ high-scoring unit. They didn’t. McDaniel went 4-of-14 from the field for 10 points, while N’Guessan scored just eight. The reliable weapons missed multiple simple shots at the rim.
2. Kansas State’s offense simply couldn’t keep up.
Kansas State and UCF traded buckets in the second half, but the Wildcats could not close the gap and take the lead. The Knights boast more aggressive weapons, and Kansas State had to rely on players like Max Jones and C.J. Jones to generate scoring. Without one of its highest scorers and floor generals out, Kansas State couldn’t find shots or get into an offensive rhythm. The Wildcats went on a late run, but sloppy late-game execution halted any chances of clinching the victory.
3. Some questionable late calls may have ultimately decided the outcome.
Officiating is never an excuse for losing, but Kansas State did have some iffy officiating working against it in the game’s most crucial moments. Twice in the final minutes, Kansas State was down by two and had the opportunity to tie or take the lead. The first was a no-call against Brendan Hausen after getting pushed out of bounds, followed by a Max Jones foul for a supposed hold on Keyshawn Hall.
